According to the World Health Organization (WHO), a woman in northern Bangladesh has died after contracting the deadly Nipah virus in January.
The patient, aged between 40 and 50, developed symptoms on January 21, including high fever, headache, hypersalivation, disorientation, and seizures. She passed away within a week of the onset of symptoms. An investigation revealed that the deceased had no recent travel history but had regularly consumed raw date palm sap.
The Nipah virus is particularly dangerous due to its high fatality rate, which reaches up to 75% of cases. Although the virus does not spread easily from person to person, previous outbreaks in India have prompted Asian countries (such as Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, and Pakistan) to tighten temperature screenings at airports. In 2025, Bangladesh has already recorded four laboratory-confirmed deaths from the virus.
At this stage, there is no licensed vaccine or specific medication available to treat the Nipah virus. According to the WHO, the risk of international spread remains low; however, caution is essential, especially in regions inhabited by infected bats. All individuals who were in contact with the deceased are currently under monitoring, though their test results have returned negative so far.
